Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3953, William Gay, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Gay, William Catharine
R 3953
CONTENTS

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston :
December 17. 1857.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of William Gay is borne on a roll of Capt. Eben t . Ball t Co. Col. M c Intosh's Regt as a private from December 11 th 1776. 19 days, at Castle Island.
On a pay roll of Capt. W m Richards Co. Col. M c Intosh's Regt, guards at Boston, as private, from March 23. 1778. 15 days.
On a roll of Capt. Nath l Heath Co. Col. Gerrish's Regt. guards at Cambridge & Boston, as private from Aug. 14. 1778. 4 mo. 2 d.
On a pay roll of Capt. M c Intosh's Co. Col. Thayer's Regt. as a private from July 27. 1780. 3 mo. 11 d.
On a muster roll of Capt. Thomas Newcomb's Co. Col. Joseph Webb's Regt. as private of Dedham, from Sept 8. 1781. 3 mo. 8 days. Service at New York.

a part of each of the foregoing Companies was from Dedham.
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
James M. Clarke Secretary of the Commonwealth.

I. Catherine Gay of Watertown in the County of Middlesex, Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged eighty three years. depose & say that I have good reason to believe that I am entitled to a Pension, for the services of my late husband William Gay who was in the service from the town of Dedham in the County of Norfolk, he being the son of Wm Gay of said Dedham and that he was in the service of the Revolution from said Dedham, at several different times, & from the best of my recollection he was in the service of Greene at Cambridge, & in the naval service, stationed about Boston Harbour, and may have been in the service at Rhode Island & in the State of New York. but I am not able at this time to determine. I request the Secretary of this State to examine the Rolls & documents in his office for proof of the service of my late husband
They Catherine Gay. Mark
Middlesex, ss.
Subscribed to by the said Catherine Gay, on this 3rd day of December 1858.
Before Me. Elijah Clark, J. Peace

no 12603
Catharine Gay, ad m a v William,
Mch. 3953
July 7, 1838.
Rev B. Thompson
H. K.

(4) Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Middlesex..p..
On this seventeenth day of February, eighteen- -hundred and fifty two, personally appeared before the Hon. Samuel P.P. Fay, Judge of the Court of Probate in and for the County of Mid- -dlesex, and State aforesaid, William Gay, a resident of Watertown in said County, being forty eight years of age, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration for himself as well as for Eliza Gay, Leonard Gay, Richard Gay, Harvey Gay, Catherine Smith, Nancy Reed, & Elizabeth Blanding, his Brothers and Sisters, claim- -ing for them, and for himself, the amount of Pension that was due to Catherine Gay, his Mother late of said Watertown at the time of her decease, agreeable to the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July, 7. th 1838, (an act entitled an act, granting half pay and pensions to certain widows, also the acts of Congress passed March 3 rd 1833, June 17, "1834, and the act of February 2 nd 1838, That the said Catherine Gay, was the widow of William Gay, late of said Watertown, and a native of Dedham in the County of Norfolk in said Commonwealth who rendered service in the War of the Revolution from said town of Dedham, that he was a private in over.

Capt. Ebenezer Battles Company in Col. McIntosh's Regiment of Grenadiers on Castle Island nineteen days in the year 1776. and in the Spring of 1778. he rendered fifteen days service in Capt. Prichard's Company in Col. McIntosh's Regiment. That in the Autumn of 1778. he was in the Guard Service also at Cambridge & Boston four Months and two days. in Capt. Nathaniel Heath's Company in Col. Gerrish's Regiment. and in the Summer of 1780. he rendered three Months and four days service in Capt. Brattle's Com- -pany in Col. Thayer's Regiment. and in the Autumn of 1781. he rendered three Months and eight days service in the State of New York in Capt. Newcomb's Company in the Regiment of Col. Webb.
He further declared. That his Mother the said Catherine. was Married to the said William Gay. in the aforesaid town of Dedham. on the eighteenth day of November in the year seventeen- hundred and eighty two. by Joseph Greenleaf. Esquire a Justice of the Peace. That the said William Gay. husband of the aforesaid Catherine Gay. died in Watertown aforesaid on the eighteenth day of October in the year eighteen hundred and twenty five. That the said Catherine Gay. was not Married to the said William Gay. prior to his leaving the

Service. But the Marriage took place previous to the first day of January Seventeen hundred and ninety four. "Viz." at the time above stated. And that said Catherine. remained the widow of said William Gay. and that her Maiden name was Catherine Kingsbury. That she never made a claim for a Pension. as no one had ever informed her. until a short time before her decease. that the power of Congress extended Pensions to the widows of Soldiers married subsequent to the Revolution.
William Gay
Subscribed & sworn to in open Court on the day & year first above mentioned by said William Gay — before me J. Alonzo W. Lynde Probate
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex ss. I. Alonzo W. Lynde. Register of Probate for the county of Middlesex, hereby certify, that Samuel P. P. Gay. is Judge of Probate for the said county of Middlesex, and that the signature above is his true and genuine signature.
In witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court of Probate. this seventeenth day of February in the year of our Lord. eighteen hundred and fifty two. A.D. Lynde Reg.

Extract from the records of the town of Dedham County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Births William, son of William & Sarah Gay born March 18 th 1758. William son of John & Sarah Gay born August 28 th 1760.
Intentions of marriages.
Mr. William Gay Jr. and Miss Catharine Kingsbury, both of Dedham April 19 th 1782. Marriages.
Nov. 18 th 1782. Mr. William Gay and Katharine Kingsbury both of Dedham by Joseph Greenleaf Justice Peace. a true copy of record, Attest, Jonathan H. Cobb Town Clerk.
I Jonathan H. Cobb above named depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk of Dedham County & State aforesaid and that from a personal examination of the records of said town I find no mention of any other William Gay, than those above mentioned who could have been in the Revolutionary Service, in searching down to 1786.
Jonathan H. Cobb
State of Massachusetts Norfolk County ss. June 20 th 1852. Then personally appeared Jonathan H. Cobb above named, and subscribed to and made oath that the matter above set forth by him is just and true.
Before me - W. Ellis Justice of Peace

Marriages November Eighteenth, Seventeen Hundred and Eighty Two.
Mr. William Gay and Katharine Kingsbury both of Dedham by Joseph Greenleaf Justice of the Peace
I hereby certify that the above is a true extract, from the original records of Marriages in the town of Dedham County of Norfolk & State of Massachusetts, with the exception of date which is expressed in full's legible figures as follows. " Nov r 18 th 1782. "
Jonathan H. Cobb, Town Clerk
I Jonathan H. Cobb, above named do hereby say that I hold the office of Town Clerk of Dedham County & State aforesaid and that the above is a true extract as certified above by me.
Jonathan H. Cobb
Norfolk ss.
Sworn to on this twenty eighth day of January
A.D. 1832
before me Ellis — Dms. Justice of the Peace

Extract from the Records of Deaths in the Town of Watertown County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts
"1851" No 35, Dec 22 Catharine Gay aged 89 years died in Watertown Widow of William Gay born in Dedham Cause of Death. Old age . place of Interment, Watertown. Undertaker. Asa Pratt. Registered Dec 1851."
a true Copy attest Wm H Ingraham Town Clerk of Watertown Middlesex ss.
Sworn to on this 29 th day of January 1852. Before Me. Elijah Clark Justice of the Peace.
Extract from the records of the 1 st Parish in Watertown Mass 6 th 1825 Oct 18. William Gay died aged 67 yrs
a true copy attest Masthouch Davis minister of 1 st church - Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex ss.
Sworn to on this 4 th day of February A.D. 1852. Before Me Elijah Clark. Justice of the Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(5)
Secretary's Office, Boston, October 18 th 1852.
I Hereby Certify , That at the date of the annexed attestations William Ellis and Jonathan H. Cobb were Justices of the Peace for the County of Norfolk.
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and qualified; and that to their acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth the date above written.
Alvan Walker
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Elijah Clark Esq., Brighton Mass.

I Calvin Guild of Dedham in the County of Norfolk Commonwealth of Massachusetts woman seventy seven years of age, was born in Dedham & have lived in said Dedham for the greater part of my life & all of fifty years last past, depose and say that I knew William Guy, Senior and his son William Guy Junior from the time I was fourteen years of age, and lived within a quarter of a mile of them for several years, was well acquainted with both of them. I saw the old Gentleman when he dropped down dead, he was walking with his Grandson on the public highway, near the great common in Dedham when he fell down, I helped to get him into the house.
I knew that William Guy Junior, had the reputation of having been in the service of the Revolutionary Army, but I never knew or heard that his father the old Gentleman was in the Revolutionary Service I think he was too aged - I never knew of any other William Guy who was in the service of the Revolution. I recollect that said William Guy Jr. married a Kingsbury Girl lived with her in Dedham some time & then moved off to Watertown & I have not seen him since.
Calvin Guild
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Norfolk October 6 th 1852 Then personally appeared Calvin Guild
* The statement above made who is a credible witness to all the facts herein set forth (the word "Daniel" first written was erased & William written over it before signing) before me Jonathan H. Cobb Justice of the Peace

I William Gay, of Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire, Mass. aged about fifty eight years do testify & say, that I was born in the town of Worcester, in the county of Worcester Mass. as I verily believe; that my father name was William Gay & my mother's name before marriage was Sally Willard. That my father as I have been informed & verily believe, was a native of Dedham, in the county of Norfolk, Mass. and was the son of John & Sarah Gay of Dedham aforesaid, she was born about the year A.D. 1760. At the time of my birth my parents resided in said Worcester, and went from there to West Boylston, thence to Pittsfield (where I now reside) & from Pittsfield they removed to New Lebanon, New York, where my father died on, or about the third day of July, A.D. 1827. My father was not in any actual service in the Revolutionary war from said town of Dedham, or any other place, that I am aware of; as I never heard him or any other person that he ever rendered any military service in the war of the Revolution; and that if any one rendered service by the name of William Gay, it could not have been my father, but some other person.
William Gay
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Berkshire ss. Pittsfield, July 31. A. D. 1852.
Then personally appeared William Gay who is known to me to be a credible witness, & made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed.
M. R. Laughton Justice of the Police Court in Pittsfield

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. (2)
Secretary's Office, Boston, February 16 th 1852.
Whereby I Certify, That at the date of the annexed attestation Ellis Ames and William Ellis were Justices of the Peace in the County of Norfolk, and Elijah Clark was a Justice of the Peace in the County of Middlesex.
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and qualified; and that to their acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written. —
Walter Channing Secretary of the Commonwealth.

No
Catharine Gay, a m ra of William.
Benj. Dampier Ho. of Reps.

I Samuel Pond of Dedham in the County of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts being eighty six years of age hereby depose and say, that I resided in said Dedham during the Revolutionary war and ever since that period, that I was personally acquainted with William Gay while he resided in said Dedham, that I recollect of hearing it said that said William Gay served as a Soldier in the Revolutionary War he being several years older than myself, but do not recollect how long he served or what Officers he served under if I ever knew, and that I do not recollect any other man by the name of William Gay in said Dedham or the neighboring towns during said War. And I farther depose and say, that I well recollect the fact, that said William Gay married to Catherine Kingsbury near the close of said War, I think in the year 1782 or 1783, and said William Gay and his wife resided in said Dedham, several years after marriage and had some children, and then removed to the town of Watertown in the County of Middlesex, at which Place, I once call'd and made a visit to said, and his family.
Samuel Pond
State of Massachusetts } County of Norfolk ss. } February 10 th 1852, then personally appeared the above named Samuel Pond a man of sound mind and memory, and I judge a witness of undoubted credibility, subscribed to and made oath, that the matter set forth in the foregoing deposition by him subscribed, is just and true in every part thereof.
Before me — W m Ellis } Justice of Peace

No 44.603 (1) Catharine Gay, as mama of William
Mrs.
Let to Mr. R. Thompson Mar 14/52 L.A. E. Clark, Apr 2/53
July 1. 1838.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
(8)
3903
P.O. Catharine Gray
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____ REJECTED , 18
Discharged: _____ , 18
Application filed: _____ , 18
Alleges: _____ _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P.O. _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____ , 18

Additional evidence in the case of Catherine Gay wid: of William
Oct. 20/52.
Mr. Cole

Brighton, Oct. 18, 1852. (6)
Dear Sir,
I herewith enclose to you additional evidence in support of the claims of Catherine Gay, of Watertown, deceased widow of William Gay, of Dedham. The statements of Mrs. Gay, some months before her death as by her made personally, & signed to in an application for an examination of the Massachusetts Rolls, are applicable to a further examination.
Very Respect yours Ob. S. etc Elijah Clark
Hon. J. P. Keating Commissioner of Pensions Washington City, D.C.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts (3) Middlesex County.
I hereby certify that Satisfactory evidence has been adduced to me to prove, that Catherine Gay late of Watertown in said County widow, (whose husband William Gay died at said Watertown in the year 1825 & was reputed to have served in the army of the Revolution) died at said Watertown on the twenty second day of December last past (1851) & left the following named children, to wit, Seth Gay, William Gay, Lemuel Gay, Richard Gay, Harvey Gay, Catherine Smith, Nancy Reed, & Elizabeth Harding, who are all now living & her only living heirs at law.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal this twenty fourth day of February A.D. eighteen hundred & fifty two.
J. P. Gay Judge of Probate for said County of Middlesex.